Saint Seiya Drabbles, ficlets and oneshots
by Plantress
Summary: Short little Saint Seiya fics. Updated as the stories come to me.
1. Responsibilities

Shion stared at the dragon-topped helm for several seconds before he took a deep breath and lifted it off the pedestal it rested on. Even though he had worn it before the ex-Aries Saint was still surprised by it's weight. _It never looked this heavy when he was wearing it…. _Funny, he had forgotten the name of the former Pope, if he had ever heard it at all. It scared him, truthfully. Someday would no one remember what his name was anymore? He supposed it was inevitable, no one ever saw the Popes face after he took office. He became the will of Athena and a figure of ultimate authority. Not a person who had hopes and fears of his own.

Shion didn't want the office. All through out his childhood and even through the War the Pope had been the figure of authority. Even after Athena had come, the Pope had still been one that stood by her side to adviser her, and delivered her orders. The ex-Aries Saint hadn't wanted such heavy responsibilities on his shoulders and he didn't think he was ready for them. He sighed, he knew he had to wear the helm, whether he wanted to or not. He as the only one who could become Pope. Dohko wasn't exactly suited to be the Pope and had said as much himself when they had started talking about it. But they need a leader and they were the only Saints left. Shion had to be the one to do it. Had to be the one to train and lead all of Sanctuary so that when Hades rose again they would be ready.

The thought of having to lead all of them, of having all those people looking to him for leadership and guidance now that Athena was gone. The weight of the helm in his hands seemed to increase as he realized how much responsibility he had now. Was he ready for this? More to the point would he even be able to lead them and make them listen to him? He basically had to rebuild Sanctuary, and he wasn't sure if he was capable of that. Shion was so caught up in this thoughts and worries that he didn't even notice someone had come into the room. When a hand fell on his shoulder, he was so startled he jumped, and whirled around, falling into a battle stance.

Dohko blinked in surprise, then grinned.

"I haven't been able to surprise you like that since we were kids!" The Libra Saint said happily. Shion sighed.

"Dohko." He greeted his friend. "Did you find anyone else?" A nod from the Libra Saint.

"Yeah. A couple of kids. I think one might even be Gold Saint potential." While Dohko had been given the task of watching the Hades Seal, he had decided that finding replacements for the Cloths was more important at the moment. The Libra Saints was very good at noticing potential, so he was gathering children that might one day become Saints. But once they began to earn their cloths and were finding students of their own Dohko would retire. And then Shion would be left without his friends advice. He was not looking forward to when that would happen.

Some part of his trepidation must have shown on his face because Dohko frowned.

"You okay Shion?" His friend asked.

"I'm fine." The ex-Aries Saint said as he dropped the heavy helm over his head. For once he was glad that the cumbersome symbol of his office hid his face from view. Dohko was far to good at reading his expressions and would figure out he wasn't 'fine'. "I have to go greet our new arrivals now, don't I?"

"I have them waiting for you." Dohko said, and they two of them exited the room. There was a brief pause then the Libra Saint spoke up. "You know, the Saints during the next Holy War might have a better chance then we ever did."

"How so?" Shion frowned. He knew that Dohko wouldn't see but it helped him so.

"Easy, they'll have you." Shion stopped, startled by his friends words. "Well, technically they'll have both of us, but I don't think I'm going to be in Sanctuary."

"But why will having us be an advantages?" Shion couldn't keep the curiosity of his voice. Dohko grinned back at him.

"Because we have experience! Remember what it was like when the Specters first started showing up? We had no idea how to counter them and we keep running back to the archives to see what we could dig up on their powers and abilities. That won't happen next time. We've fought next them, we remember what their power are and how they fight. You'll be able to tell future Saints what to expect, and maybe next time there will be more than two Saint left to carry the burden of Sanctuary." Amidst the chaos of finding out how many trainees and non-Saints that could train Saints were left, figuring out how much of Sanctuary was damaged, and his other duties, Shion hadn't had the time to think about things like that. But what Dohko was saying made sense. There had never been survivors before, and it had usually fallen to a none Saint to take up the reins of power until a Saint had been trained to take over as Pope. _I suppose that compared to them, I've had it easy. I have my reputation. People listen to me because they know they can trust me…._

"Besides…." Dohko was continuing on. "That's all in the future isn't it?" The Libra Saint smirked. "Get this place up and running before we worry about what _might _happen, right?"

"Right." Shion said, smiling slightly behind his mask. They started walking again, and soon reached the door that lead to the Main chamber.

"Dohko?" The Pope said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." Was all Shion said before he walked in to greet the newest recruits. Dohko simply smiled after his friend.


	2. Repeating History

Seated on the throne-like chair, Shion sighed and turned his attention back to the two trainees that had been brought before him for punishment.

"What possessed you two to decide to add frogs to my spa?" He asked the boys. Aioria, little brother to one of the most respected Saints in Sanctuary looked as he waiting for a hole to open under his feet and swallow him, while Milo was just standing with his head down, an embarrassed look on his face as he scuffed the toe of his shoes on the stone floor.

"Well, answer the Pope!" Newly-named Gold Saint Capricorn Shura demanded. He had been the one to catch the two trying to sneak out the temple. Although Shion was somewhat impressed that they had managed to sneak in, he did not find having frogs jumping every where remotely amusing. Milo muttered something under his breath, and when Shura glared at him, he repeated it louder.

"We thought it would be funny!" The boy muttered. Then he looked up. "We're sorry though. We weren't tying to hurt anybody, we just though you might be bored sitting in here all day." Aioria began nodding furiously as he friend talked. Neither noticed that the Pope had gone very still, and if they did they assumed it was anger that made him freeze. They never would have guessed he was biting his lip to keep from laughing at a memory from centuries ago.

"_Come on Shion, I just need your help this one time. It's not like we're gonna be hurting anybody anyway, this is just for fun!" _

_I had forgotten about that. We didn't the same thing, didn't we Dohko? Or was it fishes instead of frogs? I can't remember anymore. Either way, we were caught and got into trouble over that. Not that the Pope was surprised that you had something to do with it old friend. You were a holy terror then, and if you hadn't shown such promise I think you would have been thrown out. _He looked again at the children in front of him and wondered if that was how he and Dohko had looked to the Pope from so long ago. _I wonder if anyone would ever believe that we were like them at one point? Probably not, not when I've become a living legend. _

He had intended to meet out a punishment that was frighteningly similar to the one that the Pope had given _them _so long ago, but now he wasn't sure he could do it without laughing. Instead he, he reached out and touched the minds to two particular Gold Saints, telling them exactly what had happened. Once that was done, he opened his eyes and turned his attention back the trainees.

"I had intended to punish you myself" He intoned in the sternest voice he could manage "But I have decided to let some who knows you better than I do choose a fitting punishment for you." First he turned toward the blue haired boy. "Trainee Milo" He said firmly and watched the boy freeze. "Your master will deicide how you will be pay for your wrongdoing." He glanced at the other boy, who went pale when he realized it was his turn. "Trainee Aioria, I have give your brother the chance to choose your punishment. I believe his is on his way here now." Aioria went even paler if that was possible and looked for a second like he was going to burst into tears.

Truthfully, Shion felt a little sorry for Aioria. He was sure that all of this had been Milo's idea and the younger boy had been dragged into it, yet Aiolos was sure to be harder on his younger brother than Milo's master would be on him. But, the Pope reminded himself, Aioria was the one who made the choice to follow his friend. Perhaps this way, he wouldn't follow Milo the next time the boy decided to pull a prank.

He nodded at Shura and sent a brief request to the young man. The Capricorn Saint nodded, then bowed and forced the younger two to follow his example, before he began to escort them out.

They were almost out, when a figure with shining golden wings appeared in the doorway. Aioria froze as his brother walked up to him, bowed to the Pope, then grabbed his younger siblings upper arm. The look on his face was so disappointed and angry, that Shion heard the boy sniffle as he was dragged away. Milo just stood there looking guilty, until Shura nudged him a little to make him leave the temple.

Only when he was sure they were out of earshot did Pope Shion allow himself to a laugh, amused by the strange ways in which history repeats itself.


	3. Our Reasons

A/N: During Overture three of Athena's Saints, two of whom had been almost fanatically loyal to her, abruptly changed sides and decided to work for Artemis. This is my attempt to figure out why the betrayed their goddess.

**Our Reasons **

Jabu:

Artemis-sama had promised. Promised him that Saori-san would be alright.

When the other goddess had first approached him about becoming one of her warriors, he had refused. He would never ever even think of betraying Saori-san! She was his goddess and he would die for her. Then Artemis had told him what her real plan was. She said that she wanted Athena, her sister, gone. She didn't care about Kido Saori at all. She had said that once Athena, the one she really wanted, was gone, Saori-san would be a normal girl once again. Saori-san would be able to live a normal life, and perhaps, forget about everything that had happened to her. That was why Jabu agreed to fight for the goddess of the Hunt. Because he knew it would be better if Saori-san didn't have to remember all the pain and hardships she had been forced to go through. Besides if she forgot about being Athena then maybe, just maybe, she would forget about Seiya as well.

Shaina:

Shaina had tried to attack Artemis when the goddess had come. Of course she knew that she didn't stand a chance against the Goddess, but at least she would have died defending what she believed in. Artemis had defeated her easily, but for some reason, had not killed her. Then the goddess had told her that Athena had requested that all the Saints who had helped defeat Hades be pardoned. That included Seiya. _But…_ Artemis had said. _If he does try to fight me, if he still hold loyalty to Athena, then I will send one of my warriors to kill him. When that happens he will be trapped with the other Saints who dared to rebel against the Gods. _And that was why Shaina had agreed to serve her. Because she knew Seiya would never betray Athena. He would try to save her no matter what the cost was to himself. Shaina intended to be the one to take his life when he came. That way, perhaps Artemis would not notice his transgression and he would not be forced to suffer as the Gold Saints did.

Ichi:

Ichi wasn't fighting for Artemis for the same high-handed reasons the others did. The only reason he was fighting was because he wanted to live. He wasn't stupid: going up against Artemis would have meant his life. Why would he want to die for a goddess that wasn't even here anymore? So he had sworn loyalty to Artemis. Let the others call him a coward or a traitor, at least he would be alive to hear them.

**Our Reasons **


	4. Beautiful

****

Beautiful

No one had ever called his music beautiful before. Or at least no one had since he had became a Marine Shogun. Sorrento barely remembered the time when he hadn't been either training to earn his Scales or guarding his pillar. Barely remembered the time when his flute hadn't been a weapon.

He had always enjoyed the sounds of his flute, and although he still did it was different now. Now although the notes were the same, they weren't as pure as they had once been. He had used his songs to kill and no matter how many times he told himself that the deaths were for the good of the world, it didn't stop him from remembering the blood he had spilled whenever he played outside of combat. There was no more purity in the music to him. The music he had once used to bring happiness to people, now brought pain to those he wished on.

The other Marine Shoguns knew this. They had never compliment his music, or stopped to listen to it. Even when he wasn't actually fighting they were afraid that simply listening would get them killed. Their minds might have known that wasn't true, but after they had seen his enemies ripped to shreds by his music, their hearts became afraid.

It saddened Sorrento sometimes to think that his music would never be considered enjoyable again. But he had forced himself to admit that it was worth it because this was Poseidon-sama's ambition.

Then the little Andromeda Saint had come along. One of his enemies and some one he had been trying to destroy. Yet, Andromeda had called his music beautiful. Even after almost being killed by his flute, the boy still found the music beautiful. Sorrento was surprised at how happy that made him feel.


	5. History Repeats itselfagain

A/N: A contiuation of Repeating History. Takes place after Hades but all the Goldies, Kanon and Shino are myseriously alive. I blame this on an MSN conversation I had .

****

History Repeats itself….again

The large tub sloshed as and water splashed out of the tub. Aioria let out of the way of it, further tipping the large tub.

"Watch it!" Milo, the one holding on to the other side, hissed as he tried to keep the tub straight. "Your going to spill it."

"It almost splashed on me!" The Leo Saint hissed back then looked down at the eel filled tub he was holding. "And why are you doing this again?"

"We're doing this because everything has been so peaceful lately that I was about to die again; this time from boredom!" Milo smirked. "Not all of us have girlfriends to distracts you know."

"Marin..isn't…we're…it's not like that!" A blushing Aioria yelped only be shushed by Milo.

"Your going to get us caught if you don't shut up!" Aioria grumbled but didn't say anything else. A few seconds later a blue head popped out around the corner of the Pope's Temple and scanned the shadows under the pillars until he saw the other two Saints.

"Come on!" The Gemini brother gestured. "He's not here." Aioria and Milo hurried as fast as they could with a tub full of wiggling eels between them. Not for the first time the Leo Saint wondered why he was even here.

Okay so maybe Milo was right…at least a little bit. Nothing really important requiring the attention of a Saint had happened in the last few months and most of the Gold Saints had begun to fall into a stupor. Even Athena had returned to Japan, her usually group of Bronze Saints in tow. That mean that the twelve Saints of the zodiac temples had been left to their own devices.

That was probably why, when Aioria had been returning from his daily training session and seen the Kanon and Milo stagger up to Leo temple with the tub as the giggled like maniacs, he had gone to see what they were doing instead of being wise and walking the other way. _ Then Kanon convinced me to help because it would be easier with the three people and I said I would help because I didn't have any thing better to do any way….. looks like Milo was right. _ Aioria muttered something about annoying Scorpios and Gemini's as they went inside the Popes Temple and made a beeline for the giant spa. It was as the paused for a few seconds to allow Kanon to make sure that Shion was actually _in _the spa that Aioria abruptly remembered something.

"Did we do something like this before?" He asked Milo. "And get caught too."

"That was frogs." The Scoripo Saint said. "And this time we're older and wiser and we'll make sure we aren't caught."

"Good. Because I don't want to know what will happen to us if they catch us doing something like this again."

"Catch you doing what again?" A voice said from behind them. Both Saints jumped, splashing water all over the floor, and then slowly looked behind them. Aioria swallowed, suddenly struck by a very real sense of deja vu.

"Hey Shura." Milo said nervously. "Catch us….trying to deliver some fresh seafood to Shino of course!" Shura scowled at hem.

"They kitchen is the other way." The Capricorn Saint said dead pan. Milo laughed nervously.

"Oh, yeah a guess your right. We must have gotten turned around , huh Aioria?" The Scoripo glared at him and Aioria realized it was his cue.

"Yeah, we just go turned around. Come on Milo" The two started too turn toward the kitchen. It was right then that Kanon poked his head out of the spa.

"What are you guys doing!? We have to finish this before Shino gets…..back…." The younger Gemini brother paused when he realized there was someone else in the room. "H…hi Shura." There was a moment of silence then…

"WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU THREE DOING!?" Echoed through the temple.

"…..Can't believe you would do something so childish. Eels? Honestly Kanon what were you thinking?" Saga said. Kanon grumbled inside while on the outside he had on what he hoped was an apologetic expression. Shion had come out when he heard Shura yelling, and that would have been bad enough. But Shura had to go one step further, he had used telepathy to tell Aiolos and Saga what had happened. The two other Saints had turned up almost immediately and that was why all three of them were standing here listening to Saga go on about how childish and irresponsible they had been acting. Shura and Aiolos had already added their two cents in earlier.

Saga had been nodding sagely while Aiolos had been going on about the duty of a Saint and what that meant. Kanon had been sorely tempted to ask his elder brother how killing Shion had been the act of a good Saint but he had decided that was too low even for him.

Saga abruptly turned around and began to gesture as he talked about how the three pranksters should be acting their age more. Suddenly Kanon grinned wickedly, ignored the curiously looks the other two conspirators threw at him. At the right moment, Kanon brought his arm up…and began to mimic his older brother's moments. He didn't need to see Saga's facial expression to copy them either, one of the nice bonuses of being twins. Shura and Aiolos, were nodding wisely and didn't see him start but Aioria and Milo did. Both of them bit there lips to keep from laughing, but a stained giggle leaked out. Saga whirled around at the sound, but Kanon had already schooled his face into a suitably guilty expression. Upon seeing nothing the elder Gemini turned back around. Kanon began to mimic him again. Milo and Aioria snickered and Saga whirled around again. Once again Kanon had on an innocent expression. Saga turned around again and….

"Kanon!" The younger brother winced. _ Forgot about Shura._ Saga turned and glared at his brother.

"After all you have been through you would think you would have learned some responsibility! You know your reputation! You have to take things more seriously…" Saga was gearing into full on lecture mode. Kanon prayed something would distract him or they would be there for hours.

"Gemini Saga, Sagittarius Aiolos and Capricorn Shura." Kanon blinked his in disbelief as Libra Dohko's voice called from the door way of the temple. "Your needed in the training ground." When the three hesitated he added a firm "now." Saga sighed, then he and Aiolos shot a looks at their brothers that clearly said 'this isn't over yet' before turning and leaving. The three pranksters sighed in relief, then stiffened when Dohko walked over….only to have the Libra Saint go right past them.

"I need to speak with you Shino." They heard him say. All three turned around to find the Pope with his head down, hair obscuring his face, and hands grabbing the arms of his throne as he shook slightly. Kanon gulped. He hadn't thought they had made Shion _that _mad. Milo grabbed at his arm.

"Lets get out of here while he's distracted." The Scorpio Saint whispered. Aioria and Kanon nodded, then together the three slunk out of the temple.

Dohko waited until he could hear them anymore before he turned to his friend.

"Their gone." He said. Shion nodded….then burst into gales of laugher, shaking so hard he slid of his throne. As the Libra Saint watched his normally serious friend then his own mouth twitched before he game up and double over in laugher himself.

Several minuets later after they had both managed to regain control of themselves, Dohko shook his head.

"How did you manage to hold it in?"

"Years of practice, old friend." Shion grinned. "Do you have any idea some of the ridiculous things trainees can get up to?"

"I have a few ideas?" Dohko said thinking of his own students.

"But why did you send them down to the training grounds?"

"Because I saw an annoyed Deathmask heading in that direction. Even if there wasn't a situation there when I left, there's probably one now."

"And do you know _why _Deathmask was annoyed?"

"Of course not" Dohko attempted to look innocent. Shion sighed.

"At least I don't have to fish eels out of my spa now." The Pope looked over at the large wriggling tub. "But what are we suppose to do with them now?"

"I have a few ideas." Dohko said. Shion looked up at him wide eyed.

"You can't mean…." He began.

"Of course that's what I mean! You prank some one, you should expect to get pranked back." The Libra said firmly. "They're adults they should be prepare for the consequences of their actions."

"But I'm the Pope! If someone finds out I'm play pranks on the Gold Saints…"

"Don't worry so much! All you have to do is make sure that you don't get caught. We never got in trouble when we were there ages did we?" Dohko smiled. "Come on Shion, live a little!"

"I suppose I could…." Shion mused. The Libra Saint nodded encouragingly.

"That's the spirit!" Shion stood up and turned to face his friend.

"Very well, lets show this youngsters what a _real _prank looks like!" Shion and Dohko exchanged wicked grins, then headed off into the night….giggling.


	6. Ordinary

It was another perfectly ordinary day….and Shun was bored. Shiryu had left for China yesterday, and Hyoga had gone to Siberia a day before that. Seiya had gone off on a date with Miho this morning and that had left Shun all alone.

To be fair, the other Bronze Saints were still at the mansion but that that wasn't any help. Much as it pained him to admit there was a gap between the his friends and the other Bronze Saints. It wasn't just about strength either; it was something deeper than that. _They_ would always be Athena's favorites, the warriors who has saved her on several occasions. Jabu and the others would always just be Bronze Saints. They were extra's in the eyes of everyone else and they knew that. Even though Shun had tired to approach them, too much had changed between their two groups. Jabu and the others knew they would always be second best and not matter how hard Shun tried to be friends with them there would always be a certain resentment.

Left almost totally alone in the house, Shun had gone jogging more to eat up the time than anything else.

As he always did when he went out, he passed by the local Jr. High. As the bell rang, he watched the students stream out of the building,.

Seiya and the others couldn't understand his fascination with the school. Despite what Seiya kept saying, it wasn't because of the girls to him….it was about all the students. The students that were the same age as them, the students that if things had fallen out differently, if destiny hadn't chosen them, all of them would have been.

Shun wasn't stupid. He knew that the five of them would never be normal, that had been assured they day that Kido had taken them in. As for him…. destiny had marked him when Pandora had found him. But sometimes, Shun liked to pretend. Liked to wonder what it would be like if there were no gods or goddess, if they had just been normal boys whose only worries where their school work and if they girl they liked, liked them back. He imagined a world where Hyoga didn't carry the emotional scars of having to kill his master and best friend, a world where his brother hadn't been forced to loose part of himself on Death Queen Island and where he hadn't been Hades puppet.

Then Shun would remember that if it hadn't been for Athena he might never have meet his friends. That Hyoga at least would have been living an ocean away from them. Shun would then shake his head and continue on, vowing not to think of 'might have been' instead focusing on the life he had been given. It was all he could do, all any of them could do.


	7. Hope

A/N: This drabble is set post Lost Canvas. You'll probably get it even if you haven't read that manga though. Mentions characters from Lost Canvas and character deaths.

A single candle flickered in the Popes study. Although it gave the man seated at the desk enough light to read by, it did nothing to dispel the shadows that lurked around the edges of the room.

Shion liked it that way though. It had only been a few months since the defeat of Hades and they were still assessing damages. During the day when he was seated on the throne, ruling as Pope Shion was able to hold back the emotions that threatened to escape. But at night, there was nothing to distract him, the emotions that he had been suppressing.

Particularly when he was looking over the lists of the dead. Taurus Aldebaran, Pisces Albafica, Virgo Asmita , Sagittarius Sisyphus….Unicorn Yato, Pegasus Tenma…. Each name was another remind to him that he and Dohko where the only Saints left. Each name another blow to his heart as he remembered the men that it had belonged to. He had known them, trained with them, lived by some them for years…..it was hard to remember that they were gone sometimes. In some obscure way he was glad that he had to stay up in the main temple most of the time. Each time he past through the twelve temples he was reminded of the Saints that had once occupied them, and that each and everyone of them was gone forever.

The training grounds offered him no relief either. There were no familiar faces down there anymore. Everyone he had trained with in his childhood had either earned a cloth or died in the process, and now even those who had become Saint were gone. The area that held the Cloths that were waiting to be claimed was full now, a far cry from what it had been before the war had started. When he looked at them it was driven home to him exactly how many Saints they had lost. Seeing the list of names was vastly different from seeing the reality of all those empty cloths right in front of his eyes.

So many lives lost, and not all of them had been Saints either….. Yuzuriha, the elder, and all the innocent people of Tenma's home town….

The towns folk hadn't even known about the Holy War. They hadn't even known why they had died or even realized they had been casualties in an ancient war. Shion sighed and blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. Although he could allow himself to feel his emotions, Shion had learned that he could never give into them. There was no telling when an emergency would occur and if anyone saw him in any state other than in complete control it could be disastrous. Everyone relied on him, looked up to him for support. He could never ever allow them to see the their pillar of support broken. Sanctuary was already at it's weakest right now, and if he wished to build up he would have to push his own feeling off to the side.

A whimper in the room dragged Shion back to reality and he looked over to find Atla asleep in one of the chairs. Shion gave a small smile as he looked at the boy. After the war no one had had the heart to send Alta back to Jamir, not when everyone he had known there was dead. And Shion didn't have the heart tell the boy to stop following him. He was the only person Alta had left in the world, and….he really didn't _want_ to send the boy away.

Although he would never admit to out loud, having Alta around helped. The boy was a reminder of what he had fought, and what he was still fighting to build. He represented the what the others had died fighting for and the hope for the future. And sometimes that hope was all that kept Shion going.

The new Pope stood and made his way over to the boy, grabbing a blanket that been laying folded on one of the other chairs. Alta had developed a habit of falling asleep in the study, mostly because Shion would forget to chase him off to bed. As he draped the blanket over the boy, Shion was reminded of why he had been placed here. It was his job to shape those children that would come here and make them fit to be Saints. They would be the ones to protect Athena when she appeared once again, and he would have to make sure that they were ready. He would be the one to make sure the coming generations of Saints would be able to protect this world and ensure that the lives that had been sacrificed in this war would not be in vain.


	8. Question

It had been a relatively quiet day in Sanctuary. Aiolos had been in his temple all day, and out of boredom had started inspecting his Cloth to make sure it hadn't been damaged in any recent fights. He was examining the arrow of the cloth when someone walked into Sagittarius Temple. A quick glance behind him showed it was only Aioria.

"What are you doing here Aio?" He asked.

"Can I ask you a question, Ni-san?"

"Sure." Aiolos turned his attention back to the arrow.

"Aiolos-ni-san, what's sex?"

The golden arrow hit Aiolos foot when he dropped it. A minuet passed as the Sagittarius Saint hopped around cursing.

"Are you alright Ni-san?" A worried Aioria asked.

"I'm fine." Aiolos gasped. "…now what did you say?"

"I asked you what sex was." The boy said. Aiolos choked.

"Why would you want to know about _that_!?" He squeaked.

"Well, I saw Saga down by the beach a few minuets ago and he said something about, so I asked him what it was but he told me to ask you, so I came here. So what is it?" Aioria finished.

"It's uh…well you see…" Aiolos blushed, then cleared his throat. "I'll tell you when you get older."

"But I want to know now!" Aioria grumbled.

"You aren't old enough to know yet." Aiolos said firmly.

"That's what you and Saga keep telling _me_." A voice complained from behind him.

"Oh, uh…hello Shura." Aiolos sighed as the young Capricorn Saint walked in.

"Why do you guys go red whenever I mention sex anyway?" Shura asked. Aiolos went even redder. "Is it something embarrassing?"

"What's going on here?" That voice…Aiolos whirled around.

"I'm going to get you for this Saga!" He shouted. The Gemini Saint blinked.

"What did _I _do?" Saga asked confused.

"What in the heck did you say to Aioria to make him ask about that anyway?" Aiolos continued.

"I haven't said anything to Aioria all day." Saga said, still very much confused.

"But I just saw you down by the beach." Aioria interrupted. "And you wouldn't tell me what sex was so told me to ask Ni-san."

"I what?" Saga squeaked, going bright red. "But I've been up giving the Pope my report! Aiolos, you let me through you temple, remember!? There's no way I could have….." Saga froze suddenly then dropped his head into his hand. "I am going to get you for this." He muttered to himself then looked up.

"Aioria, forget what 'I' said. If you really want to know about….sex….go ask the Pope. Shura, you go with him."

"The Pope?" Shura looked stunned. "I don't want to bother him…."

"Don't worry, there was no one else up there after I finished my report. Besides….he's the one that told Aiolos and I about it."

"Really?" Aioria looked to his brother for confirmation, then relaxed when the Sagittarius Saint nodded vigorously.

"Come on Shura!" Shura gave them one last looked, then followed Aioria out of the temple. Aiolos didn't relax until they were gone.

"I don't think the Pope is going to be happy with you." The Sagittarius Gold Saint said smiling in relief.

"I'll deal with that later." Saga said and started forward. "Right now, I have something to do."

"Are you alright?" Aiolos asked frowning.

"I'm fine." Saga said tersely, then walked out the temple. "You just wait here for your brother." Aiolos watched his friend retreating back, and wondered just what was going on.


	9. Dots

A/N: This requires...explanation. See, it started in the forum at when Kuri mentioned that if Saga hadn't killed Shion then Athena would have been raised like Mu's sister...then Niteskye had to mention something about a little Athena trying to paint on eyebrow dots. That was when the plotbunnies attacked.

**Dots **

"Shion, Shion….look what I did!" Came the little girls voice from behind him. The former Aries Saint sighed and turned around.

"What did you….dear goddess." Well aware of the irony of the irony of the last statement, Shion gaze down at his child-goddess…who was currently half covered in lavender paint. "Athena what have you done?"

"Now I look like Shion and Mu!" She said proudly and pointed at the two different sized dots she had painted over her eyebrows. That the lavender paint had also been smeared over the rest of her face, was all over her dress, and had some how ended up in her hair as well didn't seem to bother the her one bit. Shion sighed.

"Yes, yes you do." He reached down and picked up the girl-goddess, wincing when the Pope's robes he wore where smeared with lavender too. "And now it's time for you to get cleaned up."

"Why?" Athena asked.

"Because you're covered in paint young lady, and you do not need those dots. You look pretty enough without them."

"But you and Mu have dots!" Athena protested. "So why can't I have dots too?"

"Does anybody besides Mu and I have dots?" Shion sighed. "There something you have to be born with."

"But I want to have dots!" Athena shouted. "I wanna be like Shion and Mu!" Shion winced.

"You don't have to be like us Athena. You're a very special girl, and have no need of dots to make you that way."

"I want dots, I want dots, I want dots!" The goddess wailed. The Pope thought quickly

"Athena…if you be quite and be good for the rest of this week, I'll let you go with Aiolos and Saga when they go to Athens." Athena stopped and looked at him.

"Really!?"

"Really. But only if your are a good girl and take a bath, _quietly_. Can you do that?"

"Yep!" His goddess smiled up at him and Shion smiled back. As he carried her toward the bathroom he couldn't help but wonder why she was so much more difficult than Mu was at this age.


	10. Names

A/N: Part of the same universe as Dots. See that drabble for the explanation.

** Names**

"'Dite, 'Dite!" Someone tugged at the Pieces Saint's cape. He turned around.

"Yes Lady Athena?"

"Why do you have a girls name?" The little goddess asked. "Shion was giving me lessons an' he said that Aphrodite was suppose to be a girl. I though you were a boy."

"I am a boy." Aphrodite said patiently. "Aphrodite isn't my real name, I jus think it's beautiful so I use it."

"Oh." Athena stopped and thought about it, then turned to Deathmask, whom Aphrodite had been talking with moments before. "But Deathmask isn't a pretty name, so why do you use it?"

"Because I hate my real name. Deathmask sounds better." The Cancer Saint growled.

"No it doesn't." Athena frowned. "It sounds scary, an' your not scary." Deathmask looked very much like he would like to show the little goddess how scary he really was, but he knew better than to try. He knew what would happen if he did anything to her, and he didn't need Aphrodite's warning look to remember that.

"You need a new name." Athena said suddenly looking at Deathmask.

"His real name's Angelo." Aphrodite said quickly, knowing what kind of names a little girl would think sounded acceptable.

"Angelo." Athena repeated as Deathmask gave an inarticulate snarl and looked ready to lunge at the Picese Saint. "I like that better! Why don't you use it?"

"I….don't…like…it!" Deathmask said slowly, trying to control his temper.

"Well, I do." Athena said firmly. "So from now on, your Angelo." The little goddess turned and skipped away.

Aphrodite took one look at Deathmask's face, stammered and excuse, then ran down the steps of his temple, the Cancer Saint right behind him.


	11. Dots II and Names II

A/N: Set in the same universe as Dots and names, once again this shall be blamed on Kuri. She drew a picture of Mu painting eyebrow dots on Athena, I made a comment about puppy dog eyes and then she demanded a drabble. Two in one here because they are so short I can't justify creating a chapter for each one.

"Pleaaase Mu!" The little goddess tugged at the young Aries Saint's sleeve. 

"I already said no." He told her firmly. "I'd get in trouble if I helped you."

"But...but..." Athena whined.

"I said no."

"Please Mu?" Athena said in a soft voice. Mu looked down at meet a pair of huge half tear filled eyes. He sighed.

"I'll paint on the dots just this once Lady Athena, but that is it." The little girl didn't say anything, just shoved a brush into his hands. As Mu kneeled down he prayed that his punishment wouldn't be too sever. His Master should understand though, even he couldn't stand up to Lady Athena's puppy dog eyes. 

A/N: This is because I like messing with Deathmask:

Deathmask loomed over the two terrified trainees. "This is why you should never disrespect a Gold Saint." He said conversationally as he prepared to use his attack...

"Angelo, Angelo!" A little girls voice cut across the training arena and the Cancer Saint froze. The little goddess ran over to him and attached herself to his cape.  
"Come on Angelo!" She insisted as she tugged on it. "Shion said it was your turn to play tea party with me!"


	12. Saga's Bath

A/N: There was a picture posted on the forum I'm apart of that featured a towel clad Saga standing in his spa glaring at someone. That is was inspired this piece.

Saga leaned back enjoying the warmth of the water. These days he didn't get to enjoy the massive spa in the Pope's temple as much as he wished. Shion tended to frown on him soaking in it for hours at a time, but for once the elder Saint wasn't here. He was off in Jamir with Mu, helping Kiki prepare for his trial to gain the Aries cloth. Athena was off in Japan too, so he didn't have to worry about shocking his goddess either.

A footfall behind him broke the calm and Saga turned. No one was there. A shadow dashed between two pillars and soft laughter echoed off the walls.

"Who's there!?" Saga shouted as he gabbed the towel he had placed at the edge of the bath and stood. There was a sudden blinding flash of light. As the Gemini Saint blinked the spots from his eyes he caught sight of a familiar figure running toward the door. He tried to go after it, but remembered that he wasn't wearing everything besides a towel. He cursed.

"KANON! GET BACK HERE AND GIVE ME THAT CAMERA!" Echoed throughout Sanctuary.


	13. Future

A/N: This was started because someone start talking about how in the future the Saints might be fighting the Hades in space. That made me think of a strange post nuclear war future. Sanctuary, protected by a Athena, had become the center of civilization and the Saint themselves heroes. I attempted to writes something on the subject but a character came out of left field and hi-jacked the fic. This did not come out how I thought it would..

He always watched the sunrise. The ritual had started so long ago even the man himself didn't know how long he had been doing it. He would watch as the dark was driven back by the light, a sight that never failed to give him hope. It was a subtle reminder that he had lived through darkness and seen the light come once again, seen civilization arise from chaos.

"And I'm still here." The man whispered to himself. "I've been a Saint, Pope, hero, survived several Holy Wars and the end of the world as I knew it….and yet I'm still here. And I have no clue why or how I've managed to survive this long."

Footsteps echoed from behind him. The man drew back into the shadow of one of the pillars that decorated the garden and watched as girl no more than eleven or so made her way into the open area he had been standing in. She turned toward the sunrise and stretched, giggling softly to herself. The man smiled. He knew her, one of the priestess-in-training for this secluded temple of Athena.

"Helia." He called softly. The girl jumped.

"L..l..lord Shun! I'm sorry I didn't mean to disturb you!" She stammered and backed away. "I'll leave now, you can back too…."

"It's alright child." He said gently and smiled. "I was just enjoying the sunrise. Isn't that what you came out here to do?" As he spoke he could almost hear the voice of a long dead friend teasing him. _Geeze Shun, you sound like an old man! _

"Y…yes.."

"Then you are welcome to join me if you would like." He said aloud. _I am an old man now, Seiya. _He though back, even though he knew it was nothing more than a memory.

"Lord Shun?" Helia asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"D…do you come out here everyday?"

"Yes." He turned back and watched the clouds change colors. "No matter what the weather, no matter what I'm suppose to be doing, I always make the time to see the sunset."

"Why?" Helia sounded puzzled. "Why come out when it's raining or cold? The sun will raise the next day, won't it?"

"I come because each sunrise is different. It will not come again, so each one precious. You will only see a certain number of them in your life time. Each represents a day that can never be returned." Helia looked unconvinced. Shun sighed. She was young probably hadn't realized that she too would die one day.

"I also come up here to remember."

"Remember what?" Helia titled her head and looked at him questioningly.

"My past and why I accepted Athena's Gift in the first place……"

It had been a few years after his first Holy War. Saori had made a request to him right before his eighteenth birthday. The day had become branded in his memory.

"_But I can't…." _He had stammered. "_I can't be the Pope…there are other Saints that could do it, aren't there?" _Saori had shaken her head.

"_They don't have God Cloths." _Athena had pointed out. "_Even if I gave Kiki the post when he comes of age, he'll always be just a gold Saint. People respect you five. They know what you've done and they respect you for that. They'll listen to you." _She had turned to look at him them "_And you are the only one who can become Pope, Shun. Seiya, Hyoga, and Ikki aren't really Pope material. You can become a great Pope." _She had sighed at that point. "_Shiryu has already agreed to take up the post Dohko had before he died. He will watch for Hades to revive." _

"_We killed Hades!" _He remembered protesting. She had given him a look.

"_We destroyed his body." _She corrected. "_He is a god. Poseidon doesn't posses his original body anymore, and neither do I. He will come back Shun. They cycle cannot be broken that easily." _Her hands had tightened on the arms of the throne. "_I wish it was over Shun, but it's not. Hades will come again. But this time Sanctuary will be prepared." _He remembered her looking up and meeting his eyes. "_Please lead Sanctuary. Become the Pope so that when the next Holy War comes, you can prevent the tragedy that happened this time. Please Shun accept this burden." _He hadn't been able to refuse her.

"_Very well. What do you want me to do?" _

She had surprised him by giving both him and Shiryu her Gift. To only age a day when for every year that passed…..he had wondered why she would want two Saints to have it but had never gotten a satisfactory answer. But he had taken up the post of Pope without complaint, even though Seiya and Hyoga had teased him about it. Ikki had been proud of him, though and that had meant the world to him then.

_  
_Years had passed….and he had realized that it wasn't just the burden of leadership Athena had been talking about, it was the burden of time. The years may have been stalled for him and Shiryu but that wasn't true for the rest of them. He had been forced to watch as his friends grew old, then died. Eventually even Athena had died.

"_Why are we doing this?" _He had asked Shiryu as the stood over the graves of their friends.

"_Because it must be done." _Was all the Dragon Saint had said.

As the centuries past, Shun had raised and trained new Saints. Shiryu had taken students in too… But neither of them had found anyone that could claim the God Cloths.

Athena had been reborn and still there was no one to wield the God Cloths…. Then just as predicted Hades returned. Shun had lead his Saints into battle and done his level best to protect Athena but…she hadn't wanted to be protected and the fights had been hard….and in the end even Shiryu had died but he, he was still alive. There had been a moment of sheer disbelief as he stood over the wreckage and realized that he was the only survivor. He had gone into the battle expecting to die, that was what had happened to all previous Popes….so why was he still here? He had done his duty hadn't he? Why wasn't he allowed to rest?

He hadn't' want to take up the mantle of Pope again. But he had been the only Saint left alive and he had been forced too. Once again he had lead Sanctuary, only this time everyone had looked at him in awe. They had treated him with the same respect and awe they did Athena. He hated it, not only because he knew the punishment that gods heaped upon mortals who claimed the to be gods, but also because he knew he didn't deserve the praise. He was alive because he had been lucky, that was it.

Things had gone normally in Sanctuary for a century or so…..and then the world had ended. Or at least civilization had.

Shun couldn't even remember what petty thing had sparked it anymore. All he knew was that one minuet the world was there….then it had gone mad. Countries had declared war on one another and before he could even think of anything the bombs had begun to fly.

Each Nuclear strike was answered with another until at last the bombs were all gone….and so was most of the world. A bomb has struck Athens. The city was leveled…..but Sanctuary was fine. Athena's protection meant that weren't even touched the radiation.

He tried to help however he could. Refugees began flowing into Sanctuary but there was no way they could help them all. It was worse once the nuclear winter hit. The same shield that was protecting Sanctuary from the radiation seem to be blunting the affects of the winter in the area's around Sanctuary…..and people began to build. He was barely keep Sanctuary running…there wasn't a lot he could do to help them. About the only thing he could do was protect them. Bandits and scavenger groups that tried to attack those who had settled in the shadow of Sanctuary found themselves facing the Saints. Even the weakest trainee was able to defeat small groups, and the Gold Saints could take out a small army if they put their minds too. Even without his help that mere margin of safety drew people to Sanctuary. Eventually the winter ceased and the survivors began to rebuilt. By then Sanctuary had acquired a small city around it. Most built in the same ancient Greek style that temples were in. Some of the younger generations started to worship the Greek gods again.

It was just as people were starting to real be able to live, instead of just merely surviving, that the Holy War struck again. He had to scramble to get the battle field out of Sanctuary and away from the fledgling city.

Yet the Specters had gone almost willingly.

"_Hades doesn't want to win it like this." _Radamanthys had admitted when they faced each other. "_But the cycle cannot be stopped." _

Once again Shun had entered the battle expecting to die…and once again the _hadn't. _The Andromeda God Cloth was undamaged still and still refused to let someone else wear it. None of the other God Cloths had owners either but Shun had hoped that someone would have come along who could lead the Saints.

At least this time there was one other survivor, the Taurus Gold Saint. Shun decided it was time for Sanctuary to have a new leader. He would still be in Sanctuary but he was tired of making all the decisions, tired to having to take responsibility for everyone. It was a new era and it was time for someone else to take up the reins of power.

"_But…." _The young man (too young really but now younger than he had been..) had said stunned. "_You can't really be meaning too…"_

"_I've been here too long." _He had replied. "_It's time for fresh blood. Your as old as I was when I became Pope. You'll be fine. Besides….I'll still be around." _The young man had relaxed then, and Shun had smiled sadly.

He had kept his word of course, but not in the way the young man expected. Shun had advised him, but hadn't allowed the new Pope to depend on him. As the city attached to Sanctuary had grew, more decisions had to be made. When ever the new Pope had started looking to him for all the answers Shun had simply…disappeared. Centuries of living in Sanctuary meant he knew all it's secrets. He would simply disappear into one of the hidden areas until the new Pope made a decision.

Then once the new Pope had gotten used to leading and the people of Sanctuary had accepted him Shun had simply…left. He was tired and wanted to rest, at lest until the next holy war. Many small temples to Athena had sprung up in the country. He had gone to one of the more isolated of these. The head priestess had been happy to receive a Saint of Athena, even if he had sworn her to secrecy. He had worked out how to teleport long ago. He would check on Sanctuary, but he would stay there. The world would have to learn to continue on without him.

_I just hope I'm making the right decision. _Shun sighed.

"Lord Shun?" The Andromeda Saint shook himself out of his memory.

"Yes Helia?"

"Are you alright?" She asked. Shun ruffled her hair.

"Fine, just thinking." He stretched and sighed. "Now come child. I believe it is time for breakfast."


	14. Scorpions

The sound of something crashing echoed through out Aquarius temple and Camus winced.

"Milo." The Aquarius Saint said slowly. "You had better be more careful or I will make you sorry."

"Hey, it's not like I asked my scorpions to escape!" Milo crawled out from underneath the table rubbing the top of his head. "And it's your fault anyway! You shouldn't have freaked out when I came in here to show you my new pet!"

"I woke up from a nap to tank of scorpions being shove in my face. Any remotely sane person would have freaked out. Your the one who should have had a tighter hold on the tank." Camus grumbled. "You've already caught four of them. Just how many of them do you have?"

"Relax there's only one more." Milo headed toward the back of the Temple.

"Where do you think your going?"

"I'm going to check your bedroom. Or do you want to wake up to a scorpion in your face again?"

Camus shuddered. "If that happens Milo, you will be saying goodbye to one of your 'pets'"

"You're no fun Camus." The Scorpio Saint said as he half shut the door behind him. Camus departed going to help his friend but he really didn't want to touch any scorpions, so decided to wait. "Ah, found her! Hey Camus, she's behind the dresser. Mind coming in and giving me a hand?" Finally emanated from the room. The Aquarius Saint sighed.

"Fine, but I am not touching that monster…." The Aquarius Saint said as he pushed open the door. Three things then happened in very rapid succession. Milo swore, a scorpion scampered across Camus's foot causing the Gold Saint to yelp in fight…and a large bucket of water fell off the top of the door and drenched the Aquarius Saint. Very slowly he raised the lid of the bucket and leveled a glare at Milo.

"S..sorry." The Scorpio Saint stammer. "But I couldn't help it! …..Hey Camus, what's with that look? Wait, you can't….don't….!"

"Okay." Dohko sighed as he tapped the Libra sword on the floor. "Now I get why I was called here and because it's Milo we're talking about I can even guess how he got in to this predicament….andconsidering I came all the way from Rozan for this….before I free him could you assuage my curiosity and tell me why you put your best friend in a Freezing Coffin?"

"No." Camus growled glaring at the iced Scorpio Saint.


	15. Future: Wyvern

A/N: Companion piece to Future. This one is from Rhadamanthys's point of view, and is about his thoughts on Shun. The Wyvern wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote this. Enjoy.

**Future: Wyvern**  
Rhadamanthys had lost track of the number of Saints he had faced in battle. Most fell before him. Some fought with him. And then there were the few that had killed him. Out of all those, there were only a handful who he actually respected enough remember. Pegasus Seiya , Gemini Kanon were two of those Saints. Phoenix Ikki he remembered as well, and he did know the names and faces of the other two Saints who had been there as Hades body was destroyed but if you asked honestly he would say he didn't remember much about Dragon and Cygnus. Then there was the man who was known as Andromeda Shun. Rhadamanthys remembered him very well, but for different reasons than the others. It would have been impossible to forget him really. He was the only man Rhadamanthys had ever faced in battle during three different Holy Wars.

Truthfully if Andromeda hadn't become Pope Rhadamanthys would have forgotten him as he had done the Dragon and Cygnus Saint. Well, he might have remembered the boy as the vessel Hades had chosen that cycle but he wouldn't have remembered him as a Saint. There just wasn't anything about Andromeda that had impressed him the first time they meet. He had been more focused on Gemini…and the last time had had seen the five Saints that would go down in history they had been wearing regular cloths. Cloths that possessed Athena's Blood true, but still normal compared to what they would become. 

The first time he had seen a God Cloth was when he had faced Andromeda in the Holy War after Hades body had been destroyed. By now Rhadamanthys was used to having at least one Saint still be alive from the previous Holy War, so he hadn't been surprised when they had been informed that two of the so called 'God Saints' were still alive. 

He ended up facing Sanctuary's current Pope in battle and hadn't been surprised to find that the man was one of the God Saints. It was his first time facing a Pope who he considered an actually threat. All of the Pope's he had faced in the past had been men who had forfeited their Cloth when they assumed they became the leader of Sanctuary. They hadn't been much threat without any protection, although there had been one or two who had actually hurt him. But this Pope….he was still a Saint and wore his Cloth proudly. Truthfully if he hadn't been told that the Pope wore the Andromeda God Cloth, he wouldn't have recognized it. Although he had been able to see a shadow of the boy he had faced so long ago in the man that had stood before him then, the cloth had changed beyond all recognition. 

Not just it's appearance though. It was one thing one to be told that God Cloths were called such because they were even able to protect against an attack from a god, but it was another thing altogether to watch your strongest attack do nothing to the Andromeda God Cloth. He had hurt the Andromeda Saint in their battle, had seen the blood that confirmed it, but he hadn't even been able to scratch Cloth. His Surplice was being damaged by the Saint's attack though. Andromeda Shun's attacks had been much more powerful than he remembered. He had been the one who had fallen in that fight. And Athena had won the Holy War…just as she always did. 

Now he in the midst of the battle field in a new Holy War….and in the intervals between cycles humanity had managed to all but destroy itself. They had turned their won weapons on each other and left nothing by destruction in the wake. _It's ironic _ Rhadamanthys thought. _Athena has protected humankind for millennia and what almost brings about it's destruction is not a god at all, but themselves. _

"Wyvern Rhadamanthys." His familiar opponent said in acknowledgment. 

"Andromeda Shun." He nodded, only half way surprised. "So you managed to survive." 

"Only through luck." The Saint replied, then paused. "But can you answer me something? Why did you let us lead you away from Sanctuary? Isn't Hades happy with what happened to the world?" 

"No." He answered. "Lord Hades doesn't want to win it like this." The god had been very upset when he had seen the state the world was in. "_This isn't the way it's suppose to be! I do not want to claim victory just because there is no one left to fight!" _Hades had said. "But the cycle cannot be stopped." "_Not matter my wishes though, the war must be fought. Destiny is not something that can be changed so easily." _ And so Hades had sent the Specter out to fight.

"I see." Andromeda shifted into a crouch. "Then there isn't a way to avoid this fight?"

"There isn't." Was all Rhadamanthys said, before he let loose a Greatest Caution. 

The fight was intense, and once again Rhadamanthys found he couldn't touch the God Cloth that the Saint wore. Thing ended when the green haired man hit him with a new attack, one that concentrated his Nebula Storm into straight beam. What remained of his Surplice shattered, and the felt the attack go through him. 

He lay on the ground where the attack at thrown, feeling his strength fade and knowing that once again this round had gone to the Andromeda Saint. Footsteps came near his position and he turned his head slightly to watch Andromeda approach him. As the Saint kneeled down next to him, Rhadamanthys couldn't help but wonder what the man wanted. He did seem like the type who would gloat over a fallen enemy.

"How can you do this?" Andromeda whispered. The emotion in his voice surprised the Wyvern Specter and he noticed that there were tears gathered at the corners of the Andromeda Saint's eyes. "How can you fight when you know you are going to lose? How can you stand watching all your comrades die over and over again, each time knowing that you'll have to come back just to repeat the cycle?" 

"For the same reason you do….." Rhadamanthys managed to whisper even though he could feel his strength. "because it is our duty too." As the last of his strength faded away, the Wyvern's Saints last thought was that he hoped the Andromeda Saint survived this time was well. Then they would be able to face each other again during the next Holy War.


	16. Protectors

**Protectors**  
"This is Athena?" Aphrodite asked as he and the young Gold-Saints-to-be gathered around the crib that held the baby. 

"She doesn't really look like a goddess." Milo said as he frowned down at her.

"Perhaps she doesn't yet." Shion chuckled. "But she will one day." The Pope leaned over watched as the tiny goddess reached out her hands toward the children gathered around her. "She will become this worlds protector." 

"But how can she do that?" Aioria asked. "She so…..small." The young Leo watched as the baby grabbed his finger, then smiled at her.

"She can't do it alone." Shion said smiling too. "That is why we Saints exist. We must always protect her and support her. Can you do that?" The boys looked up, then all nodded once before turning back to the tiny baby that would become the world hope.


	17. Santa

A/N: I got the urge to write about little!Hyoga, little!Isaac and Camus. This was the result. 

**Santa****  
**"and then he comes down the chimney at nights and leaves presents for you!" Hyoga said animatedly.

"I already told you Hyoga, Santa doesn't exist." Isaac said patiently. "And anyway, Saints don't celebrate Christmas. It will be just another day for us."

"But…but…it's _Christmas_!" Hyoga insisted. "We have to do _something_!"

"Sensei won't let us." Isaac said firmly. "Now come on, if we don't finish our training he'll be mad at us anyway." The younger boy did as he was told but he did not look happy about. They finished and trudged back to the cabin. Their teacher was waiting outside for them.

"Camus-sensei!" Hyoga kicked into a run. "Camus-sensei tomorrow's Christmas!" 

"So?" The Aquarius Saint said sharply. "It has nothing to do with us." Hyoga stopped in front of him surprised at the cold answer.

"But…your suppose to do something for Christmas." The boy said uncertainly. Isaac sighed and walked past both of them. "And Santa's suppose to come…"

"We don't celebrate Christmas. And you are too old to believe in Santa. Now get inside." Camus said firmly.

"But…" 

"Inside. Now." 

Hyoga looked down and shuffled inside. The boy was quiet and subdued all through dinner. 

"Get to bed." Camus said shortly after they were done. "You have a hard day of training tomorrow." Hyoga looked up, startled and sad at the announcement but at his sensei's glare he meekly followed Isaac into the small room the two of them shared. He cast one last imploring look at his teacher before he shutting the door. Camus sat looking after him for several minuets before grumbling to himself and exiting the small cabin.

The next morning Hyoga awoke to sunlight. It didn't help his mood any. He had never heard of anyone ignoring Christmas before. He stretched slightly and his feet hit something at the bottom of his bed. Curious the boy sat up and his eyes widened. 

"Isaac, Isaac wake up!" 

"Wha….?" The older boy grumbled. 

"Look, look I told you Santa would come!" 

"Huh?" Isaac sat up as Hyoga held up a small wooden airplane and handful of candy, something their master never let them have, for him to inspect. 

"See? Santa did come! You have stuff too!" The older boy looked at the bottom of his bed and was surprised to find a plane and a small pile of candy of his own there. 

"But…why….how did….?" 

"Because…." Hyoga said knowingly . "You _can't _ignored Christmas!" 

On the other side of the bedroom door Camus listen to his students and smiled.


	18. Grief

A/N: Milo centric drabble

**Grief **  
Everything had changed that night. It would have been impossible for it not to after the most trusted Saint in Sanctuary was declared a traitor. Milo still remembered standing in front of the Pope as he told all of them what had happened then ordered them back to their temples.

There had been a babble of questions and then had all started talking at once but the Pope had snapped at them to get going. They had all shuffled out, everyone being careful stay away from Aioria, who looked as if he were sleep walking. None of them wanted to risk being seen as sympathetic to the traitors brother.

He had stayed in this temple for what felt like days, even though the fire clock said that only two hours had past. They were all waiting for Shura to bring back Aiolos, waiting for the answers to why this had happened. He knew everyone had been hoping that that this entire thing was just a misunderstanding that Aiolos would come through the temples joking about things like he always did. Then Shura had come trudging up the steps. He had stared at the Capricorn Saint, who was walking with this head down. Before he could even ask the question Shura looked up at him.

"It's over." Was all the older boy said but Milo had realized what he had meant. That Aiolos was dead. He dashed away the tears that threatened to fall as Shura walked away. Aiolos was a traitor, that meant that you weren't allowed to shed tears for him….right? 

He had waited in his temple for a while longer, until the fire clock had gone out signaling that the alert was no over. Then he had started up the stairs toward Camus's temple. It was only when he reached the entrance to the Sagittarius temple that he realized that he would have to go through it to proceed. He hesitated in the doorway, feeling as if was going to disturb something by going through it. But he gathered his nerve and ran through the temple and dashing through the temple, half afraid of something he couldn't name. He only slowed down once he was outside again. With one last furtive glance at the temple, the had hurried up the steps once again.

Going through Capricorn temple was nearly as hard because he knew that Shura and Aiolos had been close. He couldn't imagine what it would be like it had been forced to fight Camus. He had tired to be as quiet as he could on the way through the temple. At one point could have sworn he hear someone sobbing in the shadows of one of the pillars and had paused, then shook himself and hurried the rest of the way through the temple. 

Camus was still pacing his temple when Milo had got there. They had just traded once glance, then Camus had disappeared into his bedroom and come back with a blanket he had ripped off his bead. The two of them had spent the rest of the night huddled under it, trying to make sense of everything. Aiolos turning traitor on them didn't make any sense. He was the one who always talked about the loyalty that there were supposed to show Athena. Whenever one of them had hesitated or gotten discouraged he was the one who would step up and assured them that they could and would earn their Gold Cloths. There had been no reason for him to do something like that.

There had been no answers from the Pope that morning either. And the first thing that Milo had done when he had seen the tear streaked Aioria was attack him. Camus had pulled him off eventually, but he did remembered shouting something about traitor brothers as he was dragged away. He wasn't even sure why he was so mad at Aioria, but all he knew was that everything he had believed in up to that point was coming apart and that nothing he had come to rely on would stay the same. He had to blame someone for it.

Thing had change after that. The Pope, who used to come down some times and talk to all of them, became cold and distant. Mu with drew from everyone too, and would eventually come to spend a lot of his time in Jamir. Shaka stopped talking to everyone instead spending all of his time in mediation. Deathmask and Aphrodite started acting like the knew something that the rest of them didn't it was hard to be around the two of them and Saga disappeared entirely. Milo thought he was the only one Camus didn't act cold to. He found himself wishing for the days before the betrayal, when all of them had been close. 

Aioria started to push himself hard so that he could over come the memory of his brother. Milo found that he was annoyed with that too, although he couldn't tell why. It was only at night when he was staring into the darkness did he wonder if he was really jealous of Aioria. Aioria was allowed to cry and weep over Aiolos death. They had been brothers and it was almost expected. But Milo knew that he couldn't without being branded as having sympathy for a traitor. It wasn't fair, he had looked up to Aiolos as well so why wasn't he allowed to grieve for him?


	19. Soap Opera and Games

A/N: This is really two drabbles but the first is so short, it's not even a hundred words, that I didn't want to post it on it's own. So I'm posting both it and it's sequel together

**  
**

**  
**

**Soap Opera**  
Kanon pushed opened the door to the living quarters he shared with his twin. "Hey do we have…any…" He trailed off and stared in disbelief at the sight in front of him. "Saga….why are you watching a soap opera?"

"Shh! This is the part where Tom finds out his long lost evil twin returned while he was in a coma and managed to seduce his wife!" Saga hissed.

"Ummm….yeah. Okay, I'm going to…visit Milo or something. You have fun with that." Kanon walked out of the room slightly disturbed.

**Games**

Camus entered Scorpio temple and was surprised that Milo didn't come out to greet him. Normal the Scorpio Saint didn't let anyone pass through his temple without him at least checking to see who it was.

"Milo?" There was no answer , so the Aquarius Saint checked in Milo's private rooms. There he found his friend sitting in front of the TV, rapidly tapping the buttons of the controller in his hands. "Milo, what are you doing."

"Shh…I'm killing minotaurs!" Was the Scorpio Saints reply.

"Hmmm…" Was all Camus said as he went to stand behind his friend. He watched the screen for a few minuets then looked away. "May I ask exactly what idiotic game you happen to be playing?"

"God of War!" Milo answered without looking away. "You get to play a guy that Athena sends on a mission to kill Ares! Cool, huh?"

"If you say so…" Camus watched for a few more minuets. "Why do you like something that's so bloody and violent?"

"Because it's fun!"

"….Did you just rip that thing's head off?"

"It's a gorgon Camus, it's evil."

"….."

"Hello?" Kanon poked his head around the doorway.

"Hello Kanon," Camus said as Milo called a have hearted reply. The Aquarius Saint frowned as the other Gold Saint entered the room. "Are you alright? You look pale." At that even Milo paused his game and looked up.

"It's Saga," Kanon took a deep breath. "He's watching a soap opera." There was only silence for a minuet or so. Then Milo held the controller out toward the younger Gemini.

"Want to kill something?" He asked.

"Yeah. That will help, thanks. "

"……The both of you are really immature."


	20. Haunting

A/N: This started off in the saintseiyafan forum. During a debate about Dohko and Shion's relationship Kuri made a joke about Shion haunting Dohko after he died. This is what popped into my head.

Cups clattered, dishes rattled and the chair shook. Shunrei ducked behind Shiryu who glared around the small kitchen furiously. Suddenly all moment stopped as a short figure shuffled into the room.

"Leave this to me."

"Are you sure Roshi?" Shiryu asked as he backed up toward the door.

"I'll be fine," the Libra Saint assured his student. Shiryu gave the kitchen one last piercing look, then exited the room with Shunrei. Roshi watched his them leave then looked up at the semi-transparent figure that had materialized in front of him.

"I though I told you to stop scaring my student," he scolded. "You've hung around here for far to long as it is, it's time for you to move on!"

"Oh come on Dohko," the grinning ghost of Shion said "let me have fun for a little longer!"

All Dohko could do was shake his head and sigh.


	21. Unibrow

A/N: I really need to start uploading my shorter things here. Name change to the collection as a whole because it has more than just short pieces in it. Umm...this got started over on deviantart. It's cracky, fun, and I really have no excuse for it beyond that, other than I love messing with Rhadmanthys.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Rhadamanthys strained against the bonds of the Cosmic Marionettion holding him in place. Minos smirked from the shadows, giving his thread a twitch to make sure they were firmly in place.

"You know very well what this is about," the griffin Specter said, gazing at Rhadamanthys. "….that unibrow of yours is an eyesore!"

"What?" Rhadamanthys looked confused until Aiacos stepped out of the shadows, a pair of tweezers in his hands.

"You've scared half of the inhabitants in the underworld with it. Now it's time for us to end your fun," the Garuda Specter said as he stepped forward. Rhadamanthys watched the other Judge approach in horror.

"NO!" he started to struggle wildly against the threads of the Cosmic Marionettion

"Hold him Minos!" Aiacos said as he approached his fellow Judge cautiously.

"I am!" Minos called back, "just hurry! He's strong!"

Aiacos nodded and stepped forward, tweezers raised…and the door to the room opened rather forcefully.

"Lord Judges!" the guard who had opened it said, "Lady Pandora has requested your…presence…" he trailed off, staring at the strange sight.

"I thought I told you to knock before you opened a door!" the embarrassed Minos yelled. The distraction caused his concentration to slip. It was for less than second, but that was all that it took. Rhadmanthys' cosmo flared and the threads of the Cosmic Marionettion snapped with a twang.

"Oh shi-!"

"RUN!"

In a hallway of the castle, Rune had just woken up. He opened his door, wondering who many cases he would have to try today. Before he could really start to think however, the sight of Minos and Aiacos running down the hall at full speed, dragging a guard behind them.

"Is he catching up!?"

"You want me to slow down to check?"

"WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

Just as Rune's brain was beginning to catch up and realizes that yes, the sight had been real, Rhadamathys went tearing by him.

"FOR THE UNIBROW!"

Rune watched as they all went out of sight around the bend, then quietly stepped back into his room, closed the door, and decided to go back to bed.


	22. Negotiation

A/N: This is a Lost Canvas piece. Set back when Sage and Hakurei were young, it's based on my perception that Hakurei was a bit of a flirt when he was younger.

**Negotiation **

"...so you see, it really is in the best interest of the Saints for us to know what is going on in the lives of the ordinary people we protect," Ara Hakurei leaned close to the servant girl who was pressed back against the wall in front of him. "That is why I must ask you to tell me of anything that you think important to the cause."

"Anything at all, Lord Hakurei?" she asked, giggling.

"Anything...but most particularly anything to do with yourself," he whispered playful as he leaned down toward her, grinning to himself as he watched her blush, "I am sure someone as beautiful as you mu...ACK!" Hakurei yelped as someone tanked on his ponytail, pulling his head backwards. He turned to glare at his attacker, then recognized him. "...Oh. Hello Sage."

"Brother...what do you think you are doing?" the Cancer Saint said calmly as he glanced over at the servant girl. She went red and muttered an apology before darting off. Hakurei watched her go.

"You really have to learn to get along better with people. I know you hold yourself apart because of your power, but it would not do you any harm to drop your guard once in a while," he couldn't help remarking. Sage gave him an annoyed look.

"I do and you know that very well. I simply spend time with friends on my down time, not when I am in the middle of my duties. You should be with the Pope at this moment!"

"The Pope dismissed me, saying he wished to meditate," Hakurei said airily, "so I decided to do something productive."

"And that would be..?" Sage raised an eyebrow.

Hakuried grinned, "Practice my negotiation skills of course! The servants are particularly willing targets for it."

Sage's face went blank...and Hakurei was forced to duck the blow aimed at the side of his head, "Talking a servant into your bed does not count as negotiation!"

The Ara Saint just laughed. "Oh come now Sage. I know very well that you've practiced you've done the same before," he said teasingly. A small smile tugged at the corner of his brother's lips.

"I do not deny that. But never when I have duties to attend to," he said, "and I believe I have proven to have more success than you in those endeavors."

"Really now?" Hakurei grinned challengingly. "Care to prove it?"

"....Since my duties are over for today, I would be happy too. Shall we head into town?" His tone was casual but Hakurei wondered if this had been planned. It had been weeks since they had any time to speak with each other for any length of time, let alone do something to relax. He had missed his twin, although he hadn't want to admit it.

"Lead the way," he said instead as he threw an arm around his brother. There was little enough time for fun as a Saint. Life was short, and he would enjoy what time he had.


	23. Ink

A/N: In my head, Shion always used quills. They've served him well for over a hundred years, why should he have to change to this new-fangled pen nonsense?

**Ink**

"Mu, no, you may not have that," Shion said firmly and moved the quill the toddler had been reaching for away. Mu tugged at his sleeve and babbled something in baby talk clearly not pleased with losing his toy. "Please Mu, can you be still for a moment?"

Normally, Shion didn't keep his young charge with him when he was working at his desk like this. But Mu was still recovering from a recent cold and Shion wanted to keep an eye on him until he was certain he was fully well. But right now he was beginning to think that he was being overly cautious. The toddler certainly seemed to have enough energy!

"Lord Pope?"

"Yes?" He tried to remove his sleeve from Mu's grasp as he glanced up. One of his assistants was standing in the doorway and bowed when he saw Shion looking at him.

"I have the report about Rodario that you wished to see," the young man said.

"Ah, yes, thank you." He gave the boy an encouraging nod as he slowly stood, trying to ignore creaking joints. He put Mu down in his recently vacated seat and handed him a wooden ram to play with. "Stay here." He told the boy firmly and went to look at the report.

"I could have brought it over to you, Lord Pope," the young man said as he handed it over.

"Ah, but I've been sitting behind a desk all day. If I stayed there any longer, I would have started to stiffen up," he said lightly. It was the truth, and he didn't want to admit to his aide that it was a relief to be away from the baby for a few moments. He wondered if all children were this exhausting or if he was just old. A glance down at the paper told him what he needed to know. He would have to start ordering more supplies for Sanctuary soon and he need to make sure the arrangements he had made years ago still held.  
"Thank you," he said off-handedly. "I will need to go into town myself I think but.."

"Lord Pope…?" The young man said uncertainly. Shion looked up from the notes to find him looking torn between amusement and horror.

"Yes, what's the matter?"

Instead of answering, the young man pointed behind him. Into the room he had just vacated. With a sinking heart, Shion slowly turned around. What he saw inside made him freeze in absolute shock.

He had forgotten that there was an open well of ink sitting on the desk from when he had been using it earlier. Mu however, hadn't forgotten. There was ink everywhere. It covered the papers, the desk and was starting to drip onto the floor. It also covered the industrious toddler who had managed to climb onto the desk and was busy trying to turn the official helmet of the Pope, sitting on the desk since he wasn't being formal at the moment, black.

"Mu!" he scolded gently as he shoved the paper back at the assistant and hurried forward to scoop his student off the desk. Mu laughed, apparently thinking this was a fun new game.

"Um, I know that it isn't my place to question your methods Lord Pope," he heard the young man say as Mu reached up to leave several inky handprints on the face of his teacher before he could be stop him. "But perhaps you might consider asking a woman from town to serve as a nurse? I know that they would be thrilled to help…"

Mu choose that moment to giggle and clap delightedly, sending drops of ink flying everywhere. Shion closed his eyes to avoid the splashes.

"…I believe I will consider that," he said at last.


	24. Pride and Grief

A/N: I wanted to write something with Shion and Alta interacting because we don't see much of that in canon. I mixed in Shion's reaction to Hakurei's death because that's another thing we didn't really see in canon.

**Pride and Grief **

The workroom in Aries temple was cold at night but Shion didn't feel like lighting the fires that would warm it just now. There was enough light coming from the small lantern he had sitting on a shelf to make his work of sorting through the Cloths easier. He was trying to figure out the order of repair for them. First by which Saint was healthy enough to need them soon, then by how wounded the Cloth itself was. It was somewhat tricky work but it was work that he knew well, and it was work that helped to occupy his mind.

He should be resting now, he knew. After what had happened today, Lady Athena herself had come down to speak with him. To console him in her own way, and to tell him kindly that he should rest tonight. It was an order from his goddess. He should be obeying it, but he just couldn't. Each time he closed his eyes all he could see was his Master laying in a pool of his own blood or Dohko being impaled on a sword.

He didn't want to chance seeing what his nightmares would show him. Better to work and get something useful done than lay awake staring at the ceiling as he avoided sleep. At some point he would have to rest he knew, but he was going to put that off as long as possible. In the meantime he would work until he was exhausted. It was better this way. It kept him from thinking, kept him from being aware of the aching gap where his Master's presence should have been, or from noticing other absence up in the seventh temple. If Dohko were still here, if he had been fast enough, smart enough to find some way to save them all, then he would be down here. Shion could almost here his voice telling that he should rest that what had happened was not his fault, and that he wouldn't do anyone any good like this. His throat grew tight and he would almost imagine his Master snorting scorning fully, calling him a brat and telling him to stop moping about him, that he had died the way he wished too.

A drop of hot liquid hit his hand, startling him. He sat staring at it for a moment completely puzzled by wear it had come from. Then another tear fell to join it and he realized his cheeks were wet. Still feel confused he reached up to touch his face. He hadn't even realized he had been crying. Immediately he took a deep, shading breath, trying to calm down. He was a _Saint _he shouldn't be crying! Not when he had a duty to fulfill, and not when they had gone down in battle, the way they would have wished to go. However, even that thought couldn't seem to erase the lonely ache he could feel.

It was odd really; he had always preferred silence and solitude. Now that he had both, suddenly he realized how much he had needed the presence of the people he would never see again. It hurt worse than all the physical wounds he had received from Hypnos combined. This chest ached and he was forced to quickly scrub the tears away from his eyes with the back of his hand. It would do for anyone to see a Saint, least of all a Gold Saint like him, crying.

He was so distracted by his own grief, the soft sound that suddenly echoed around room made him start and nearly drop the piece of Cloth he had been holding. It was a soft sound; half moan and half whimper that for a moment sent a shiver down his spine. From the far corner came the soft sound of something moving. Shion frowned. There shouldn't be anything in this room but him. He stood silently, hesitating only a moment before picking up the oil lamp. While he could, and had, fought in darkness it was not his favorite thing to do. Better to be cautious, even if he doubted that anyone, or any_thing _could have found it's way in here without anyone knowing. It was probably nothing more than a stray mouse or cat, but he was not going to be careless just because it was his own home.

The sound was coming from behind several of the massive stone jars that stood in the corner. They stood up to his waist and contained several of the more common ingredients he used in Cloth repair. Slowly he raised the oil lamp over his head and peer around them. His light feel on a small figure huddled in the corner hugging his knees to his chest and shaking with silent sobs.

"Alta?" Shion whispered in shock, finally recognizing him. Alta's head snapped up to look at him, eyes seeming almost unnatural wide in the lamplight. When he who had found him the boy seem to freeze guilty then reached up to rub tears away from his eyes.

"Sh..shion," he croaked clearly trying to keep his voice level but failing. Alta tried to stand, but his legs seem to seize and he lurched forward, putting a hand against the wall.

"What's wrong? Are you injured?" Shion asked even as he felt a surge of guilt. He had forgotten that he wasn't the only student Hakurei had left behind. Although he had offered some sympathy to Yuzuriha it had only been a gesture. He knew her well enough to expect to go off and deal with things on her own so had let her do so. But Alta…Alta was still just a boy. Shion didn't know him nearly as well as he did Yuzuriha. His excuse was that he had been in the last few years of his own training when Master Hakurei had brought Alta in and had been too busy to spend much time with the new student, but the truth was he had had no interest in getting to know Alta when he was still in Jamir. It was his own selfishness and certainty that his own goals were more important than learning about Alta had had kept him away.

"…I'm fine," Alta said at last, his voice hoarse and quiet. "I'm sorry for worrying you…" the boy started to pull away but Shion put a light hand on his shoulder. He stopped and looked back at the Saint.

"If it's about Master…." Shion said uncertainly, groping for words. He had never really dealt with children before. Dohko was the one they had flocked to for advise and help, not him. He felt another pang, sure that his friend would have known exactly what to say if he was here…

Alta meanwhile, had stopped dead. "It's all right," he insisted again, rubbing at his eyes. "Master wouldn't want me to cry. A Saint doesn't cry." The sight of the boy holding back his tears stirred something in him. This wasn't right.

"A Saint is also only human," he heard himself say. Alta glanced back at him.

"But we aren't even human," Alta said softly. Shion tried to chuckle, but it came out strained at best.

"This is true," Shion said, "but I also think you know what I meant. A Saint isn't suppose to be infallible. We are mortal, and we are not perfect. It is true that a Saint shouldn't allow his emotions to distract him in battle but that is a different thing than not feeling everything entirely. I am sure that Master wouldn't have wanted you to abandon all that you feel. Do not be ashamed of your tears."

"How can you know?" Alta said, glancing back at him. There was a catch in the boys voice as he spoke and even in the uncertain light of the lantern Shion could swear Alta's eyes were red from crying. "Master is gone now!"

"He is," Shion said gently after pausing a moment to swallow against the pang in his chest. "But I was with him for years Alta. I know how he honored and remember his comrades that fell in the Holy War. He still missed them. If anyone, I think he would be the one to understand what it means to loose someone the most of all."

"What about you?" Alta asked. "You aren't crying, you've been calm! You're the one who's a real Saint. I'm still to weak to even control my own emotions.." There was a sob at the end of the sentence and Alta tried to pull away. Shion just held him firm.

"No," he said quietly after a moment. This was not the time for him to let his pride get in the way. He had to be honest for once. "No, I'm not clam. Why do you think I came down here?" he allowed himself a half-smile as Alta looked back at him. "This is a good place to be alone, isn't it? Repairing Cloths requires a great deal of concentration…it gives me an excuse not to think while I am doing it." Alta was looking at him in such outright surprise that it would have been funny if it had been at any other time. "I'm not a better person or any better at controlling my emotions. I have simply learned to hide it better," he admitted quietly. Alta just looked at him for a moment clearly startled by this. Shion wanted to reach out to him, but he was not sure what the boy would expect him to do. That had always been Dohko's office after all. He was the one who offered a comforting shoulder when the younger ones needed him.

His friend had even offered the same services to him when he had needed it. When he had first came to Sanctuary, Dohko had been the first to offer his friendship….and when he had returned after facing Tokusa Dohko had been the one to find out what was wrong. As much as he had hated to admit it at the time that had made him feel better.

There was a pressure in his chest and he blinked his eyes a little at that memory. A part of him wanted to offer the same sort of comfort to Alta, but he had no idea what he was supposed to do. As through as his training had been in the art of war, he had rarely been called upon to be c_omforting_

Alta, clearly uncomfortable, tried to pull away. Acting on impulse, something he rarely did, he pulled Alta into an awkward one-armed hug. He had seen Dohko do something similar with a trainee before but he had never though to try it himself. Physical forms of affection just weren't something that familiar to him.

For a moment Alta stiffened under his arm and Shion was the boy was going to pull away, but he appeared to have done something right. Alta gripped his shirt, shoulders shaking. Shion held the boy as gently as he could, the later from his lamp wavering as the Aries Saint finally allowed his own tears to fall.


	25. Request

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! As some of you may know, the Lost Canvas manga is ending. For some reason this set loose a heard of plotbunnies in my head, of which this is but one. This might not fit in with the ending of LC, but I wanted to write it anyway. Here is how I see Shion becoming Pope. Also I had to upload this document twice, because for some reason stripped the quotation marks out of the first one.

**Request**

"But Lord Shion," the guardsman whined, "we're undermanned as it is! If we send people down into Rodario to help with the construction, then we won't have enough men for full patrols!"

"Then cut back on the patrols a bit," Shion tried not to let his own impatience creep into his voice. He had already dealt with this man several times before, and he was being to get tired of the constant complaints every time he asked something of him, "Rodairo is one of the supply bases for Sanctuary, and the repairs needed in town are minor. Those can be completed quickly with our help, and then they will be able to supply help to us with rebuilding. You know that none of us are trained builders. If we have even one person who knows what they're doing it will go much faster. Besides," he added, " we have a duty to the town as well. Sanctuary is supposed to be a place they can turn to for help. We can't betray their trust."

"But what about the trust of Sanctuary itself?" The guardsman persisted, "Sanctuary is the most important thing right now…!"

"Sanctuary and Rodario are connected. They always have been, and they depend on each other." Shion said firmly. "We will protect both. That is our duty, and I will not have us abandon our duty just because it happens to be the 'easier' way," the Aries Saint leveled a look at the guardsman. "I will not betray the trust of those that have fallen in the Holy War. I will send the more advanced trainees to assist in the patrols until the repairs in town are finished, but we will be assisting them. Do I make myself clear?"

There was a moment of hesitation in the guardsman's stance, as if he was actually going to try and continue the argument, but then the man bowed. "I understand, Lord Shion," he said grudgingly, then quickly turned and left.

Shion leaned back slightly, resting against one of the pillars lining the front of his temple as he watched the man head down the steps. It seemed as if it was harder and harder to find peace in his temple these days. There were so many things that needed to be done, and everyone seemed to be coming to him for them. He had no idea where this sudden burst of confidence in his abilities had come from but it was becoming rather trying.

He let his gaze wander over the sprawling expanse of Sanctuary. You could see much of it even from his position as the first temple, and it was not a heartening sight at the moment. There was still so much that needed to be repaired after the Holy War. Beyond the physical damage, there was still the healing of wounds both physical and emotional. Nothing could replace the lives that had been lost and it would be months, perhaps years before they were back up to the strength they had been before Hades attacked. The thought of how much work there was left was almost overwhelming if you tried to think about.

"One day at a time," he muttered to himself. It had become a personal mantra of sorts. He couldn't allow himself to be crushed. They just had to keep moving forward, one step at time. He repeated that thought to himself as he let his line of sight drop a little, and suddenly caught sight of the figure making it's way up the stairs. Immediately he straightened a little, a slightly smile touching his lips.

"Dohko!" he called and was rewarded with a slight wave. "I didn't know you where back," he said as soon as the Libra Saint reached him. What he didn't bother to ask was why the Libra Saint hadn't come and seen him. Dohko was already in his practice armor, and didn't have his Pandora box with him. He had to have been back long enough to get to his temple and change. He had been dealing with complaints at his temple for the last hour, so there was no way his friend would have been able to sneak by then. Dohko had to have arrived earlier, and he thought his friend would at least have come said hello then.

"I just got back this morning," Dohko replied, grinning back a him. "You were down in Rodario when I came looking for you, so I decided to take a look around Sanctuary and see how the reconstruction was going. I have to say I'm really impressed. You've managed to make a lot of progress done in the last month!"

"Only because everyone has been working to make sure everything gets returned to normal," Shion turned to look back out over Sanctuary again. "It's not like I'm doing it alone you know. Everyone wants to get things fixed and back the way they were."

"But you're the one that's getting them organized, and making sure things go smoothly," Dohko leaned against the pillar next to him. "Honestly, I was a bit surprised. You've always been a fairly private person, so I didn't expect you to step up and take charge of others like that."

"Truthfully, I didn't even expect myself," Shion admitted, "but someone had to do something. You saw how chaotic everything was when we finally arrived back from the War. There was no organization, and everyone only had the vaguest idea of what do. We were already vulnerable because of the Holy War, if something had attacked us in that state we wouldn't even be able to defend ourselves. We are the only Saints left right now. As a Gold Saint I was the only one with enough authority to get everyone to listen to me. No matter what my personal feelings were, it was my duty to try and get things back on track."

"Come on, now you're making me feeling guilty," Dohko said teasingly. "It's almost like I'm abandoning you here and making you deal with everything on your own."

"There's no need for you to feel that way. You've been doing vital work of your own." Shion looked up at his friend. "Have you found any traces of Specters that might have escaped?"

"None," the Libra Saint sounded relieved, "I know that they probably disappeared when Hades did, but I would rather not leave it to chance. As you said, as weakened as we are, it would be a disaster if they found us."

Shion nodded in understanding, "That's why I've had regular patrols running. I don't truly expect anything to attack us so soon, but I want to be prepared just in case something does come. We can't fully drop our guard." He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Is hunting Specters truly what has taken you away for so long? It seems like there was something else you meant to do when you left."

"…I was searching for Cloths," Dohko admitted after a moment. "I managed to find two. They're waiting down in your workroom. That's what I came to tell you about when I arrived."

"Searching for Cloths," Shion whispered, glancing in the direction that lead to down to the underground area he used for the workrooms here in Sanctuary. "….You didn't tell me that's what you wished to do."

"I wasn't even sure I was going to do it myself until I was actually traveling." The Libra Saint looked up at the sky, "It's just that I dislike the thought of leaving the Cloths of our fallen comrades shattered and buried. They deserve better than that. Maybe it's a bit selfish of me since it will take time, perhaps years, to find them all; but I would like to see them all brought back to where they belong."

"That is not selfish," Shion answered without hesitation. Dohko looked down at him in surprise as the Aries Saint continued on, "we need more Saints here. I have already told you that we don't have enough fighters at the moment, and no Saints to speak of. Those Cloths will help us build up our strength again. We can find more trainees worth of them," Shion sighed slightly, "besides, I understand. I don't like the thought of leaving the Cloths of those who sacrificed so much wounded and alone either."

"….Thank you my friend."

"Perhaps once day," Shion added, "after Sanctuary is more stable, I will be able to join you and we can search together."

At that, Dohko shook his head. "No Shion," he said firmly, much to his friend's surprise. "You're needed here, and more than that, the rest of Sanctuary wants you here."

"…Wants me here?"

The Libra Saint smiled, one of his amused smiles that Shion had come to learn meant he _knew _something you didn't. "I ran into a few of the remaining leaders in Sanctuary while I was wandering around. They were the ones that told me what you were doing for Sanctuary, and how things had been improving since you took change. They also wanted me to formally ask you to take on the responsibilities of Pope."

It took a moment for what Dohko had said to sink in for Shion. When it did he couldn't help staring at the Libra Saint in absolutely confusion. "…Pope? Me?"

"Yeah," Dohko was smiling now. "You've really managed to impress them. Almost everyone knows that you've pushed yourself to make sure things recover. They respect you for that, and they think that you would do a good job leading them permanently."

"They do?" It was true that some of the guards and trainees had been very happy with what he was doing, but he wasn't aware he had impressed them so much. He wasn't even sure what he had done that would make them so sure he could lead. "I was just doing what had to be done…surely there's someone else who…"

"You said it yourself didn't you," Dohko gave him a serious look, "we are the only ones who are left. There isn't anyone else the other would agree on to lead them."

There was nothing that Shion could find to say to that remark. It was the truth, and something that he shouldn't feel surprised about it; yet knowing he was one of the candidates to be Pope of all things still came as a shock to him. It almost felt as he had only been filling in the gaps until someone else came along. "…What about you, Dohko? You're a Gold Saint and you are far better at dealing with people than I am."

Dohko was already shaking his head. "No," he said firmly. "I can't make the sort of hard decisions that a Pope needs to be able to make. You've always been the more logical one between the two of us." Dohko did smile a bit then, "besides, they already trust you. You've been the one getting their lives back in order and helping them move on, not me."

"Still…"

"Shion, they trust you," Dohko said. "This is about more than you or what you wish. Sanctuary is recovering, but all those here still bear scars in one way or another. No one wanted to celebrate the end of the Holy War because we had lost so much. The declaration of a new Pope would be both a real reason for everyone to celebrate and a sign that things are slowly getting back to normal." Dohko gave him a rather serious look, " and there are things that only the Pope can do that no one else can. Right before I left you told that you thought Aldebaran's student Teneo was ready to take up the Taurus Cloth, but according tradition only a student's Master or the Pope himself is capable of declaring someone ready for one of the Gold Cloths."

"That is true," Shion had been worrying over that point for a while now. How could they fill in their ranks when no one had the authority to see that it happened? Unless he and Dohko were to take on all the Gold Saint students themselves, there was no other way for them to get back up to full strength.

"..You just said you felt it was your duty to take charge and organize Sanctuary. Isn't taking up the helmet of the Pope an extension of that duty?" Shion looked over at Dohko in surprise. "You are the only one that can do this, Shion. We swore we would work to support the future generations that came after us. This is what we have to do in order for that to happen. Sanctuary needs it's Pope and it wants _you _to be in that role."

"Heh," Shion couldn't stop the half smile that formed on his face, "you always did know when to touch on my sense of duty."

"Only when it's necessary, my friend. This is something that I truly think will be good for both Sanctuary, and for you."

"You are probably right about that," Shion sighed and closed his eyes. then took a deep breath and opened them again. "Very well. I will accept the request. I will take up the mantle of Pope, for the good of Sanctuary."

"Good!" Dohko pushed away from the pillar he had been resting on, "I'll make the announcement. I think that most of Sanctuary will be very pleased to hear it."

"Pope, hmm?" Shion said, more to himself than to the Libra Saint. He looked up. "For some reason that is something that I never imagined myself being."

Dohko clapped him on the shoulder. "And that, Shion, might be why you are the best person for the job."


	26. Surprise!

Stupid, silly, strange thing I wrote while I was bored and waiting for a video to load. My answer to why Saga was naked under those robes when Seiya showed up. Pure humor and not to be taken seriously at all.

**Surprise!**

Saga sank low in the hot water of the secret bath that was only available to the Pope. Things were _not _going how he had planned them too. How hard was it to get rid of a few Bronze brats and a childish goddess? It should have only taken a few hours, not this long! The Gold Saints were being annoyingly pathetic and if even Aphrodite proved to be to incompetent to take care of them then he would have to do it himself.

"My lord..."

It wasn't as if that was going to be to hard to do. They were only Bronze Saints after all.

"My lord..!"

Which begged the question why all the other Gold Saints were having so much trouble with a few Bronzes. Granted he was much more powerful than most of them were but that didn't mean they should be having this much difficulty with such a simple task.

"My _lord_..!"

"What?" Saga snarled and stood up, glaring at the servant who flinched away from the edge of the bathtub. "I thought I left orders to not be disturbed!"

"I..I know my lord, but this is urgent! There's an intruder at the gates!"

"I know there is!" Saga snapped, "What in the gods names did you think the alert that's been going on for hours has been for..."

"I know that, my lord," the servant interrupted, much to Saga's annoyance, "but I mean there's an intruder at the gates to this _building_!"

"...This building? Here? Now?"

"Yes!"

"Why did you inform me of this sooner?" Saga jumped out of the tub, ignoring the annoyed look on the servants face. "Where is he?"

"He was at the gates, getting rid of the guards when I left. He should reach the center throne room in a few minutes!"

"A few minutes...!" Saga looked around frantically. Normally he just wore a towel back to his rooms or called for servants to bring his clothes to him, but there wasn't time for that now. He had to be in the throne room to meet the intruder, the Pegasus Saint, Saga thought. The cosmo certainly indicated it was him at least. It wouldn't do for him to come scuttling in after his enemy was there. It would be undignified.

He finally caught a glimpse of the pile of robes the he had left when he had gotten into the bath. These he through on without bothering to put anything else on beneath them. It wasn't as if anyone was going to know anyway.

"Tell everyone to stay back," he barked to the servant. "I will take care of this myself!" He set off towards the throne room at a speed that was only slightly less than a run. Inwardly he was seething. He was going to make Pegasus _pay_for showing up now. Attacking while your opponent was in the bath was just an unfair move.

And he should know. That was how he had gotten rid of Shion.


	27. True Friendship

Libra Dohko, gold Saint and warrior of Athena was concerned. Not about the upcoming war, although that did weigh heavily on his mind, but about something that was much closer to home. There was something wrong with Shion, and he was going to find out what it was.

It was unlike his friend to be late to any sort of official meeting. Maybe he been in Jamir, but he should have been called back in plenty of time to be there. The Pope would never have left something like that to chance. Besides, Shion hadn't looked right when he had come in. Most of the other Gold Saints probably hadn't noticed anything amiss, but Dohko knew his friend well enough to realize something was _wrong_. He had looked tired, withdrawn, and even paler than usual. After the meeting he hadn't said anything to anyone. He had gone straight to the Pope to speak with him, and then been taken off to a side chamber to give his report. Dohko had waited for Shion to pass through his temple but when the Aries Saint had reached Libra he had passed through without even muttering a hello. It wasn't even as if Shion had been deliberately ignoring him. It had seemed more like the Aries Saint was so absorbed in his thoughts that he had barely even noticed his surroundings. That would have set off alarm bells in Dohko's head even if nothing else had.

That was why he was on his way down to Aries now. Something had happened in Jamir, and whatever it was had very plainly disturbed his friend. If there was a way he could help, he was going to.

Shion wasn't there to challenge him when he reached the first temple. That alone was enough to cause him concern since he could still sense that Shion was awake. As he headed over toward the private rooms in the back and Shion still didn't come out he really started to worry. It wasn't like him to just let someone walk through his temple without at least _saying _something.

The Aries Saint wasn't in the living area of his private quarters. Dohko walked over to the stairs that lead down to the work area under Aries temple. The door at the bottom was a open just a crack so he descended the stairs and pushed the door all the way open. Shion was seated against one wall, a half repaired Cloth that he wasn't paying much attention to off to the side. Instead he just seemed to be staring at the golden hammer he was turning over and over in his hands.

"Find something interesting on that?" Dohko called by way of greeting. Shion actually started, nearly dropping the tool, something that added to Libra Saint's surety that something was very, very wrong with his friend. No Saint who had earned Gold Rank shouldn't be surprised that easily.

"Dohko," Shion responded, trying to keep his voice steady and just as clearly going to pretend he hadn't jumped. "What are you doing down here this late?"

"It' isn't that late," The Libra Saint said cheerfully as he crossed the room. "It's barely starting to get dark! Besides, do I really need a reason to come visit a friend?"

"I'm not going to be the best company today," Shion stood and started to put his tools away. Dohko watched him. "I'm tired and I think I'm going to go to bed early."

"I think you're more than tired," the Libra Saint said quietly. "You're preoccupied, Shion. You didn't even notice me come into the same room as you. That's dangerous for a Saint during a Holy War."

The Aries Saint paused for a moment. "You're right," he admitted. "That was careless of me. Even if I'm familiar with your cosmo I should have noticed _something._ I'll make sure it does not happen again."

Dohko got to his feet. "Maybe telling me what's on your mind would help with that?" Shion glanced back at him, every line of his body going tense. "Don't tell me there isn't something going on, Shion. You've been acting oddly ever since you walked into the meeting."

"It has nothing to do with you," the Aries Saint said shortly and turned back to his tools. He was putting far more concentration into the task that was absolutely necessary, making sure that each tool was placed just perfectly. "You do not have to worry about me, Dohko."

"I'm your friend Shion," he reminded the other Saint. "You can tell me what's wrong."

"I heard you took on a student," Shoin said, ignoring the Libra Saint's words. "I will admit that was a bit of a surprised. I hadn't expected you to find someone yet.."

"Shion," Dohko cross the room and grabbed his friend's shoulder. Shion half turned and glared at him. "I am your _friend,_" he repeated, "and something is eating you up inside. I want to help, so please, just talk to me."

"I told you that it has nothing to do with you!" Shion whirled all the way around, knocking the hand off his shoulder.. "I think it's time that you leave." There was something beyond the anger in his voice however. He was nervous or scared, although why the Libra Saint still couldn't tell.

"Not until you tell me what's happening with you!" Dohko didn't bother to move. "Shion, you're being worse than usual. This isn't just your usual need for privacy. What happened in Jamir?"

"That is a private matter!" Shion glared at him. "Why are you so insistent on this? It doesn't affect you!"

"Yes it does," Dohko replied quietly, carefully meeting Shion's eyes as he spoke. "It does when it makes one of my friends so distracted that I'm not sure he would notice a threat. It does matter when it's bothering a friend so greatly that he doesn't even want to talk to me about it. Then it does affect me, because I start to worry about my friend."

For a moment the Libra Saint thought his friend was going to snap and say something else, but then the fire seemed to die from his eyes and he slumped a little.

"Perhaps you wouldn't worry so much if you knew what kind of friend I really was," Shion said softly. "I'm not even sure I deserve that title anymore."

"Shion," Dohko said in surprise. "What makes you say that? I mean, you're stubborn, seem to like being difficult, and take things too seriously. But," he continued even as he saw his friend wince, "you're also the most loyal, trustworthy, and honest Saint I know. Everyone in Sanctuary respects you…even Manigoldo, although you would never be able to drag it out of him."

Instead of cheering up his friend, his words just seem to make the darkness he could see lurking in his eyes grow.

"I'm also blind," Shion said quietly.

"Well that's never stopped Asmita," the joke came before he could stop it. He saw his friend wince again. "That's not what you mean, is it? Will telling me about it really be that painful?"

The Aries Saint hesitate for a moment. "Yes," Shion admitted quietly. That alone told Dohko more about his state of mind than anything else. He wouldn't normally admit to something that would wound his pride.

"Whatever you say, Shion, I will remain your friend regardless. I know you well enough to have that much faith in you."

"You're a good friend Dohko." Shion finally looked up at him. "Just…please, do not interrupt me. I feel it would be best to tell the whole story all at once."

"I promise," Dohko said. Shion nodded, took a deep breath, and then started talking.

He explained how he had gone back to Lemuria at his Master's request, about finding Specters there, about Yuzuhira and her brother, his former friend Touksa. Even if Dohko hadn't made his promise he would have known better than to say anything. Shion didn't normally speak in a rush, with an almost desperate tone like that. When he finished he just stood there, not able to face the other Saint.

Dohko hesitated for a moment, trying to get his words in order. "You did what you could, Shion," he said at last. "By the time you arrived their Touksa had made his choice. If even his sister's words failed to reach him then I think he was too far gone for anyone to help."

"Are you sure about that?" was the quiet reply. Shion looked up at him with grim eyes. "I attacked without trying to reason with him. We trained together, lived together, and yet I managed to see him as an enemy so easily."

"Because he was an enemy at that moment," Dohko said firmly. "You weren't just defending yourself at that moment, Shion. Do you think he would have hesitated to finish off Yuzuhria if you had stood by?"

"I want to say we don't know," the Aries Saint admitted. He slowly sank down to the floor, ending up cross-legged. Dohko quickly took a seat across from him. Violet eyes meet his once he was settled. "But I know it's just my emotions, my heart that wanted him to recognize his sister. If I hadn't intervened he would have killed or seriously injured her with that attack. I know how close they two of them were. Even if she tried to put up a defence I'm not sure she could have brought herself to fight seriously against her own brother."

"Then what happened was not your fault," Dohko said firmly. "I know you Shion. One of your strengths is that you aren't afraid to make hard decisions." He held up a hand when Shion started to protest. "That doesn't mean you're heartless Shion. If anything, the fact that you're worry over this now proves the opposite."

Shion was slowly losing that jitter, desperate edge he had been holding onto. It wasn't as he was _fine_, but Dohko thought he looked better. Shion always responded best to logic. "I….there really was no other choice, was there?" he said softly, looking down at his hands. "Even if I had teleported him away he would have come back. He wasn't sane anymore. Hades had broken something in him." There was some conviction in the words.

"Exactly," Dohko knew the words were only repeats of what he had said earlier, but the fact that Shion was actually start to believe them was worth not saying anything about that. "Touksa wasn't himself then. He had already lost his mind and accepted the deal Hades had offered him. His choice had been made before you even arrived in Jamir. You had nothing to do with that."

"Is that the real truth?" Shion was rubbing one his arms absently. He looked up, but his gaze was focused somewhere far away. "I was the eldest student, the one that was suppose to be held up as an example to the others. I was the one who was suppose to watch out for them, Dohko. I called Touksa my friend and yet I never even noticed how he felt. I was aware that he wasn't adept at the training as me or Yuzuhira, but I didn't know it went that deep. I didn't even know he resented me. If I had noticed, if I had tried to speak to him about it, maybe there was a way I could have.."

"You're not a god, Shion," Dohko said as gently as he could. "You can't know what everyone is thinking."  
The look the Aries Saint gave him reminded Dohko that, as human as his friend looked, he was something else all together. Things that would be beyond even gold Saints like Asmita were easy for him. "Sorry," he amended quickly. "But you know what I meant, and I know you. You weren't about to go prying into his private thoughts like that. He wouldn't have wanted you know how he felt about it. Besides, your master was there as well. You are a Saint with duties here. You can't be expected to be everywhere at once."

"I know that," Shion admitted, "but I fear it will be a long while before I truly believe it."

Dohko reached out to grasp his friend's shoulder. "I think that says more about you than anything else. You're in mourning over someone who turned on you. You saved a friend from Hades control. I would have done the same. "

"You call that saving?" Shion frowned at him.

"I do," Dohko said quickly, before he could say anything else. "In the end he would have known that you saved him from hurting his sister. You let him be able to pass in peace. Believe me, I would take comfort in knowing that I had a friend who would stop me if I fell that far."

Shion seized his arm with bruising force. "Do _not _talk like that Dohko! I don't want to see another friend like that!"

There was such a wild look in the Aries Saint's eyes that Dohko felt guilty over bringing it up. "Sorry. I was just speaking in maybes. You know there's not reason I can think of to accept anything Hades could offer."

"I..I know that," Shion slowly let go and brought his hand to rest in his lap. "I should have more control than that."

"I don't think there's a single person in the Sanctuary that can blame you for being emotional over what happened," Dohko gave Shion's shoulder gentle squeeze. "You're a good man Shion."

"And you're a good friend. Thank you for coming here Dohko. You were right, it does feel better when you speak of it. I..I think I still need time, but it doesn't feel like it's about to crush me now."

"Good," Dohko allowed himself to relax. "Maybe now you'll spot lurking in the dark and avoiding everyone? It's not exactly going to reassure anyone if you keep it up."

That at least got a strained chuckle. "And if I don't leave you know Manigoldo or Hasgard will have to come see what's going on," he said wearily. "Hasgard especially seems to take it as his duty to check on anyone younger than he is."

"Which is most of us," Dohko agreed, chuckling. "I think it's just way of showing he cares about us. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up at some point anyway, to ask you about your trip. You had better prepare for that."

"I think I can handle him now," Shion said honestly, settling into a more comfortable position. He didn't look a little more relaxed now, something that Dohko took heart in. "…Dohko, can I ask you one thing?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"What you said earlier," he said softly, "about wanting someone to stop you if Hades managed to get to you….that idea does have some merit."

"Shion, I wasn't being serious about that!"

The Aries Saint shook his head slightly. "I am aware. I, however, am deadly serious. I saw the destruction that Touksa caused, what he almost did, and that from someone who had not even been a Saint! If I were to fall that far, and become something like that…I don't want to imagine what sort of damage someone with my power could inflict." There was an edge to his voice. "I want to make sure that doesn't happen."

"It's not going to. I remember you telling me how you got that scar on your arm. There's no way you're going to give into someone like Hades! You've already faced him down once before and won."

"That wasn't Hades," Shion's voice was serious. "That was just one Specter , and Dohko, it was much closer than I admitted to you. I would like to think that I'm as strong as you say I am, but Touska proved me that anyone can slip. If I do, please, I want to know you'll stop me before I hurt anyone."

Disbelief and fear made Dohko's throat close for a second. He wanted to deny Shion, to deflect him again, but the look on the Aries Saint's face made him pause. He looked desperate , and Dohko was never one to leave a friend looking like that. "You realize what you're asking of me?"

"I do, and…I'm sorry. It's a poor favor to me to ask of a friend." Shion looked down.

Dohko sighed. "I understand why you're asking, so I'll do it…but only under one condition."

"And that is?" Shion looked up at him, face grim.

"You make the same promise to me. If I fall, and Hades takes me, then you have to be the one to stop me."

For a moment he thought Shion was going to protest, and bring an end to this mad idea, but then he straightened his shoulders. "I don't like it, but it's a fair promise. If the worst happens, I will stop you, Dohko." The words carried more weight than eh thought possible.

"Very well," he said heavily, "then I promise I will stop you, if it comes to that." Even though he said the words, he silently hoped that he wouldn't ever mean them. That they would just remain something he had said to comfort a friend and not a promise this war would make him keep. 


End file.
